Life @ RWU is all about community. From supporting a diverse and inclusive student body to being an committed partner to communities in R.I. and beyond, we are a private University with a public purpose.

Residence Life and Housing Policies

Residence hall living is one of the best ways for students to learn essential life skills—negotiating with community members, adapting to new experiences, communicating with others, and learning to live successfully with people different from themselves are just a few. With so many students living together in community, expectations that support a healthy living and learning environment where all students’ can thrive personally, socially, and academically were developed. Occasionally, students, like everyone, make mistakes. When these mistakes involve University policy, the University utilizes the Student Code of Conduct and Conduct Review Process to respond. The policies detailed below are specifically for the residence halls and are a supplement to the policies found in the Student Code of Conduct. Students are responsible for following these guidelines in addition to those set forth by their signed residence hall contract. A complete contract is available in the Department of Residence Life and Housing.

Noise / Quiet Hours / Courtesy Hours

It is the responsibility of residents to be courteous and to maintain reasonable conditions for studying throughout the day. The right to study and sleep precede any other privileges such as visitation and/or excessive noise. Noise levels should be limited so as not to disturb other residents (i.e., 24-Hour Courtesy Hours). Quiet Hours are specifically designated hours in which noise should not be heard in the hallways, stairwells, or outside residence hall rooms. The Residence Hall Council of each living area determines the specific quiet hour timeframe from the parameters set forth by the Department of Residence Life and Housing.

Guest Policy

Roger Williams University students are responsible for the behavior of their guests. University alumni are also considered guests. The minimum age for an overnight guest is 16. University students who wish to host a guest under the age of 18 must get permission in advance from the CORE of their building or residence area and complete the release form located through a website link available at myRWU. All guests must register in advance by completing The Guest Registration Form found online at myRWU. Upon completion of the electronic guest pass application, print the guest pass page and take it, along with an RWU ID, to the Public Safety Welcome Booth at the main gate (open 24 hours), or the Department of Residence Life and Housing (Mon – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). The University reserves the right to restrict the number of guests each student may host on weekends when a larger volume of guests is anticipated (i.e. Fall Concert Weekend, Spring Weekend, etc.) In addition all hosts and guests must follow these guidelines:

Hosts should remain with their guests for the duration of the visit.

Overnight guests must display their validated guest pass in order to acquire a parking pass for more than one day and are required to abide by all published and posted parking regulations.

Guest residing in the residence halls are permitted to stay for two consecutive evenings.

Students are limited to two guest at any given time

Hosts will be held accountable for any policy violations enacted by their guests through the conduct process.

Residence Hall Safety

Prohibited items/behaviors include:

Cooking

Cooking in all residence halls, except in kitchen areas in Bayside Courts, Almeida and North Campus Residence Hall and only as designated by the Department of Residence Life and Housing.

Microwaves, toaster, hot plates, fry pans, indoor grills and other cooking appliances are only allowed in the private kitchens at Almeida, Bayside and North Campus Residence Hall.

University students may use the University-owned stationary charcoal grills to cook food for their personal consumption or their own charcoal grills that are secured a minimum of 15 feet away from all Residential Halls under the following conditions:

Students must only use “match-light” charcoal – lighter fluid

Students must dispose of the used charcoal in the metal charcoal disposal box located near each grill at the designated grilling location.

Students may not use the grills to cook food to sell to University or community members.

Students may not use propane or natural gas grills, or alcohol stoves. Personal grills may only be charcoal grills less than 22.5 inches in diameter, and only used with “match-light” charcoal briquettes.

General Safety

Entering or sitting on the roofs of buildings and/or on fire escapes/ladders unless in the event of an emergency egress from the building.

Throwing items out of windows or at buildings is prohibited

Motorcycles and other motorized vehicles may not be stored in the residence halls.

Animals or pets (dogs, cats, hamsters, turtles, snakes, birds, lizards, etc.) except for fish. Fish tanks may not exceed 20 gallons. No more than two (2) 20 gallon tanks are permitted per apartment/room.

Cleanliness

Defacing (e.g., write/paint/draw on doors, door frames, walls, floors) any surface inside of or outside of the residence hall buildings is prohibited.

Room trash should not be left on patios, in hallways, laundry rooms, lounges, bathrooms or other common areas.

Residents cannot refuse bathroom cleaning services

Students must maintain the cleanliness of their living environment, including the common areas.

Solicitation Policy

University residences are private living quarters and residents should not be bothered or harassed by solicitation/commercial endeavors. The University does allow individual students or groups of students to make presentations in student rooms with the agreement of any and all roommates. Any illegal activity or activity that would draw negative attention to the student or the University would be prohibited. The solicitation of any credit card on campus is prohibited.